My first trip to an auction house (the misses is not amused!)

[daws0n]

Curiosity got the better of me, and I just had to have these at a local auction house today:

http://www.pzplay.com/daws/ebay/profile.jpg

http://www.pzplay.com/daws/ebay/profileb.jpg

I hadn't quite fathomed how bloody massive they are before put them up against my resident speakers!

The back just says "Profile Model 10 / 8 ohm / Made In England"... Does anyone know *anything* about them? Googling has brought up very little, bar the name "Peter Marshall" and "South London"... I'm guessing they're late 70's /early 80's vintage, someone over on WHF reckons they were a grands worth when new.

The cabinets are quality veneer and damn heavy - overall condition is fairly good, but I think the midrange drivers have been replaced on both speakers... I'm guessing due to foam rot.

Sadly, I haven't the time to get them singing tonight so I'm crossing my fingers they're working OK.

[Audio Al]

(the misses is not amused!)

I thought size matters :scratch:

I'm impressed they look fine :)

[DSJR]

Oh yes, I remember loads about them and if the maker had got his a*se in gear and made the ebony ones he'd threatened me with quickly, I'd have NEVER gone the Isobarik route and my life would have been rather different!

They came originally with brown grilles with tapered edges rather like a stand mounted ATC 50 of old and sold for around £600 in the late 70's.

These used a Volt driver for the bass, which was a huge step-up back in the day. The midband could be a little nasal sounding in some samples, but as mid-size monitors they were superb at the time. Lovely stuff and they sounded amazing playing a Brand X master copy as I remember (the designer knew band member Robin Lumley as I recall)

[Firebottle]

I thought those bass drivers looked rather special, with a large voice coil.
Do let us know how they sound to you :)

:cool:Alan

[walpurgis]

I thought I knew most older British speaker makes, but I don't recall these. They look interesting.

David says the bass driver is a Volt, it does look like an early Volt unit, from the Hayes works just around the corner from me no doubt (as were Jordan Watts). The tweeters look like SEAS units and I think that midrange is an Audax model.

Will you tell us what you paid?

[DSJR]

In the mid to late 70's they cost two thirds the amount charged for 'Briks and B&W 801's, so around £700 or so. I bought my first pair of 'Briks from a client in 1980, having waited several months for the Profiles. They need 12 - 14" stands to sit on, by the way.

[daws0n]

They are good! :)

Good news is, all working - I've got them rigged up with an old Sony Esprit amp, some van damme cable and a cackaracka philips dvd player and first impressions are promising... They a sound a bit flat (perhaps due to being sat on the floor) but crouching down so they're at ear level they do throw a very big sound room filling sound (not surprising really given the huge size). Not sure what to make of the driver configuration (big woofer and tiny mid range) but all in all it's decent stuff, the tweeters are very detailed too. Playing with the tone controls that woofer has some serious clout behind it with some double bass, not an easy feat from a sealed cab IME.

Unfortunately way too living room unfriendly to consider keepers though - so I don't think I can keep them long term, better have fun while I can :D

[daws0n]

Even better

http://www.pzplay.com/daws/ebay/profiled.jpg

[daws0n]

Plugged them into the main system for a proper go - sound for pound I think I've won the lottery! They're a little of their time so the midrange is their best quality... and boy do they do it well. Very capable and solid, even turned up loud the cabinets barely resonate despite being on such puny stands - seriously chuffed.

[Barry]

Well done Dawson.

Although I'm completely unfamiliar with the Profile range of speakers, it's always a delight to hear of someone finding a bargain.

Briks? Phah - wouldn't touch them with a bargepole!

[DSJR]

Barry, something to chat about when we finally meet, but I was able to hear early 'Briks (with the best KEF B110 version with minimal 'quack'), 801'a and R105's with all manner of amps, not just bolt-up era Naim, which became the number 1 seller at the time. The Profiles were monitor types and would respond favourably to a 300WPC or more planet buster I suspect :) All of these speakers took on a larger and far more powerful life with what became a QMI Gain Cell (200WPC 8 Ohms, 400WPC 4 Ohms and 800W into 2 Ohms IIRC). We didn't take this amp on because Naim was the all consuming one (echoes of a Richard Dunn-style rant coming on, but I hope I've learned from this era...).

Shame the grilles aren't with these, as they looked much more subtle with them on, 'profiled' edges a la ATC 50's, which are much the same frontal size I think..

[daws0n]

Yes I have the grilles, they're made of thick fabric and are secured with metal poppers(!). Could do with reupholstering but they're sturdy enough. You say these were designs as monitors DSJR? I was thinking they would not be out of place in a studio. Were many pairs sold? I am surprised they are so obscure online, something of a hidden gem IMO. It looks like I will need to sell them, so I am hope I can get a good price - I really think you would need to spend at least £800-£1,000 to better them with a modern speaker.

There's something quite effortless about the sound they make and they have a great sense of scale/presence - acoustic and vocals sound uncanny. I would never of entertained such large speakers before but I can see why people like them so much... In contrast, my dynaudios are a bit more refined have more kick in the low end thanks for the generous rear porting. That aside I could live with either - just down to a matter of taste really.